Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy

Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy Celebrates Lunar New Year and 60th Anniversary

Walnut Academy Shares Love and Peace, Bringing the Community Together

Walnut, California — On March 8, 2026, Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy in Walnut hosted a lively and heartwarming Lunar New Year gathering filled with joy and hope. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy. With the theme “Enduring Peace: Blessed Horse in Full Stride,” the event brought together community leaders, residents, and many families to celebrate the Lunar New Year while sending blessings of peace and prosperity to the world.

Distinguished guests attending the event included Abel Casanova, representative for California State Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio; Ritchie Cajulis, Mayor of Walnut; Dr. Allen Wu, Mayor Pro Tem of Walnut; Walnut City Councilmembers Linda Freedman, Nancy Tragarz, and Kaylee May Law; Chia Yu Teng, Diamond Bar City Councilmember; Mary Ng, representing the Chinese American Association of Walnut; and Dr. Y. Tony Torng, President of the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees.

During the event, honored guests displayed Chinese characters they had written, including “Blessing,” “Horse,” “Spring,” “Year,” “Prosperity,” and “Good.” They also shared their heartfelt wishes for the community and the coming year, symbolizing hopes for happiness, vitality, and prosperity.

Representing California State Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio, Abel Casanova presented a certificate of recognition to Tai Ji Men, thanking the organization for its continued dedication and service to the community. Dr. Chia Yu Teng, Diamond Bar City Councilmember, also presented a certificate of recognition on behalf of the entire city council in appreciation of Tai Ji Men’s contributions and service to the community.

In addition, Tai Ji Men received congratulatory messages and recognitions from leaders at various levels. California State Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez sent a certificate of recognition stating, “This special celebration reflects a meaningful commitment to cultural traditional and community unity,” and expressed appreciation for Tai Ji Men’s continued efforts to enrich the community through dedication and service, bringing positive impact.

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre recorded a video message, emphasizing, “Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy has been dedicated to promoting healthy living and fostering balance of body, mind, and spirit, benefiting tens of thousands of families around the world. Your efforts to promote the values of love, peace, and conscience and to foster greater unity in the world are deeply appreciated. It is truly admirable work.”

Javier John Dutrey, Mayor of Montclair, also presented a certificate of recognition on behalf of the city council to extend his congratulations.

During the celebration, the representative of the Walnut academy read a message from Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the zhang-men-ren (leader) of Tai Ji Men, expressing gratitude to distinguished guests and friends for their support. Over the years, Dr. Hong has led Tai Ji Men dizi (apprentices) to visit 122 countries, sharing the message of love, peace, and conscience through cultural exchanges.

The initiator of the United Nations-declared International Day of Conscience and International Day of Hope, Dr. Hong stated, “People everywhere long for peace and possess conscience—they are simply waiting for the moment to be awakened and hoping to find partners with whom they can do good together. Love and peace are the shared aspirations of humanity, and the conscience of the people is the foundation of a harmonious and sustainable Earth. With this conviction, my dizi and I will continue to journey across the world, illuminating the light of hope through conscience and warming more hearts.”

During the event, Tai Ji Men dizi Carol and Carlos, a young couple, shared their inspiring journey of transformation. Several years ago, Carol experienced the devastating loss of her mother and the end of a ten-year relationship, leading to severe depression. After joining Tai Ji Men, she gradually opened her heart with the compassionate guidance of Dr. Hong and the sincere support of fellow dizi. Through learning life wisdom and cultivating inner balance, she rediscovered joy and motivation in life. She is now pursuing a doctoral degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and hopes to help those suffering physically and emotionally.

Carlos had long struggled with obesity, fatty liver, and high triglyceride levels. He described his previous routine as being like a hamster running endlessly on a wheel—repeating the same daily cycle without direction. Witnessing Carol’s remarkable transformation within a year inspired him to join Tai Ji Men. With guidance from his Shifu, Dr. Hong, he began diligently practicing qigong. He successfully lost over 40 pounds and significantly improved his health. He has also learned to apply conscience and the wisdom of yin and yang to face life’s challenges with confidence.

In addition to personal stories, the celebration featured a variety of cultural performances and interactive activities for participants of all ages. Guests enjoyed traditional games such as ring toss, roasted oranges for good fortune, nourishing herbal tea, writing Chinese calligraphy, and painting decorative fans. Tai Ji Men dizi also performed the “Love and Peace Song” in sign language, encouraging everyone to join hands and put love and peace into action. Tai Ji Men also presented a festive performance titled “Delivering the Five Treasures and the Celestial Official Bestowing Blessings,” bringing joyful wishes of health, wealth, wisdom, happiness, and joy to everyone.

Representing California State Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio, Abel Casanova said, “I really enjoyed the performance. I enjoyed the testimonies given by the people.” He also noted that Tai Ji Men’s ongoing efforts to promote peace around the world are very important.
Ritchie Cajulis, Mayor of Walnut, said the event was very energizing. He emphasized, “I feel the love and the happiness of everyone.”

Dr. Allen Wu, Mayor Pro Tem of Walnut, praised Dr. Hong and Tai Ji Men, saying that every year the events are well-organized—very outstanding, special, and wonderful. The City of Walnut is truly honored, he added.

Walnut City Councilmember Nancy Tragarz noted that the event shared an important message about world peace, which is especially meaningful at this time. She believes Tai Ji Men “is sending a real good message out there.”

Walnut City Councilmember Kaylee May Law said, “So happy to be here, and thank you guys so much for being in Walnut.”
Diamond Bar City Councilmember Chia Yu Teng noted that the messages shared during the event were full of positive energy, mentioning themes such as peace, hope, and courage.

Tai Ji Men will continue hosting a series of activities to celebrate its 60th anniversary, including a health seminar on March 14, a Lunar New Year gathering at its Pasadena academy on March 15, and special theatrical performances in October, inviting community members to join in the celebrations.